The Essential Liberal Arts: Historical Sketches of Hiram College

The Western Reserve Eclectic Institute was opened at Hiram, Ohio, in the fall of 1850. The Disciples founded the institution to educate students in moral science based on the facts and precepts of the holy scriptures. James A. Garfield was an early student of the Eclectic and went on to become the country's twentieth president. From the outset, the school was co-educational and drew on a largely rural population in the hopes of adding literary character and a bit of polish to its graduates.

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